


Cosmas

by YaminoTenshi202



Series: Hydrangea [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Study, F/M, Growing Up, Hero Worship, M/M, Pre-Series, Separate Childhoods, hispanic culture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-09-13 06:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16887738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YaminoTenshi202/pseuds/YaminoTenshi202
Summary: Leandro McClain-Acero liked the ocean. He had practically been born in the ocean, considering his mother had had his birth on the beach. After his mother had cramps and contractions for all of thirty minutes, Leandro had come into the world screaming, pacified only his mother’s embrace and his father’s laughter.-Lance could close his eyes and feel of ocean against his newborn skin. The Garrison couldn't take that away from him. No one could, not even his dreams.





	Cosmas

**Author's Note:**

> Much of the dialogue is in Spanish. I felt that it was more immersive that way, especially since Lance is such a vocal character. It is mainly Mexican Spanish, but I looked up what I could to make it more culturally accurate. I also tried to include enough context that the story should not be too confusing for anyone reading.

Leandro McClain-Acero liked the ocean. He had practically been born in the ocean, considering his mother had had his birth on the beach, salt water being used to wash off his new body. After his mother had cramps and contractions for all of thirty minutes, Leandro had come into the world screaming, pacified only his mother’s embrace and his father’s laughter. His parents’ delight turned to horror when he had apparently started having a hard time breathing, even after his mouth had been cleaned out. He had hiccoughed occasionally but he began to struggle to take even a breath in. The trip to the hospital was tense, his mother crying and trying to get him to inhale. His father was cursing at other drivers as they tried to hurry to the hospital. 

His older sister Veronica was in the car, trying to hold onto the new baby. She let out little prayers that she dutifully knew, their older brother Marco working on calming down their mother. She was bleeding more than they had all expected or thought safe, but her concern was on her new child that was now gasping.

All turned out well, the doctor clearing him within the week after a stay in the NICU. After that day, however, his parents, and then his mother alone, made sure to always keep an eye on him. He had tutors until he was six, finally old enough to go to school. Rachel walked him to his classroom, used to taking care of him constantly. She seemed to enjoy it always. 

Veronica would walk him and Rachel to their school, keeping a close eye on Leandro. Swimming was sometimes the only freedom he had, outside of school time.

“ _ Ahí esta el bebe _ !” some classmates would tease him, but Leandro never minded. If he was a baby, it was because his mother loved him so and she used the money that his father sent from the U.S. to take care of him. Leandro didn’t mind, especially not on Friday or Saturday nights.

“Leandro, _ ¿estas haciendo tu tarea? No te debes a atrasar. _ ”

“ _Si, mamí. Ya la termine todo,_ ” he called back. Okay, he lied; he was _just_ _about_ done with his homework, but he was ready and excited to eat some garlic knots and _ropa vieja_ with beans and rice. It wasn’t just his favorite food that he was excited about, though garlic knots were always his first love. He was going to talk to his father and older brother for the first time since he had started second grade

“ _ Hola, Yuma! _ ”

His brother laughed, greeting him with a “ _ Hola, Guapo! _ How are you doing?”

“ _ Bi- _ I’m doing good!”

His brother gave him a beautiful smile, one that made Leandro’s heart pump a little bit faster. His brother had a perfect accent in English, one that reminded him of those old movies Eddie Murphy that his parents loved to watch. His accent in Spanish was different from Lance’s own, like the old  _ La India Maria _ and Cantinflas movies from Mexico, but his brother always liked Leandro’s accent “because  _ Mamí _ sounds like that.”

“Your English sounds really good,  _ hermano _ .”

“Really?” Leandro beamed, “I hope so. I’ve been practicing a lot.” The words were only a little bit garbled, his lips and tongue not grasping the “v” quite yet, but his brother nodded.

“It sounds like it. You know they have bilingual classes here, right?”

“ _ Si _ ,  _ lo mencionaste _ .”

“The teacher here for Spanish, she comes from  _ Cuba,  _ too! She was talking about  _ palatanos fritos _ in class today. She’s from  _ La Habana _ , and she’s been to Japan! Her  _ papi _ used to work at the Japanese consulate. Her English is so good, I don’t even hear her accent!”

“Really? _Mami_ was saying that I need to practice for when I go to America one day. Maybe I can join _el_ _Guarnición_.”

Leandro nodded, listening to his brother talk. He liked the sound of his brother’s voice and everything that they were doing. They talked about sailing around the world together, because Leandro loved the ocean. They talked about becoming pilots, because his brother loved planes and rockets. They were twins, so why wouldn’t they do everything together?

They fell asleep to the sound of each other’s voices, so similar but so different all the same.

* * *

When Leandro and his brother were four years old, their parents began fighting often. Veronica would take them to their room, quiet as she closed the door behind the three of them. She would then grab Rachel. Luis and Marco might be outside, but something Marco would come in with Luis. Luis and Veronica would hug all of them, talking about drowned sailors turning into sea-foam and old fights that happened between pigs and Cubans. Rachel and Marco would add details as they found necessary, but Leandro would sit and listen.

Leandro held onto every word that their siblings would utter, knowing that they would drown out the loud noises of their parents fighting. 

One day, the stories were not so magical and became mundane as a result. There were stories of ninjas, fae, and other things that were too unrealistic for any stories of theirs. 

However, Leandro raised his hand, asking how the ninjas were and how they fought. He absorbed every story and detail. This was part of a world that he’d never see, knowing that his parents would never let him off of the island of Cuba. They’d never let him be free, but the stories were wonderful and curled around him.

“ _ Lean, te gusta esta historia? _ ”

Yes, he liked the story. He wanted a new story. He wanted to see something aside from Varadero Beach and the same constellations. He wanted to travel through a dry forest, over a prairie. Leandro was drifting off to sleep in Veronica’s arms, trying to hold onto every word.

“ _ Quiero otra. Porfiz? _ ”

“Okay, Leandro _. Tengo una historia de las estrellas de Leo _ .”

Leandro smiled and closed his eyes, listening to the death of the Nemean Lion at the hands of Hercules. It was one of his favorite stories.

* * *

 

The next morning after the not-so-magical story, their parents were not at home. Marco talked with Veronica softly, and they talked to their siblings gently.  Veronica made _huevos con chorizo_  and  _arroz con leche_. For extra sweetness, Rachel made  _champurado_ , the sweet, thickened cocoa settling into Leandro's stomach heavily. This was more than their usual hot chocolate and bread; this was them being spoiled for a reason that Leandro didn't care to worry his little head about. His brother, his favorite brother, nodded in agreement, cuddling against the younger Leandro's side for comfort and distraction. Leandro didn't mind; to dislike his brother's attention would be to dislike his own heartbeat.

Rachel was staring at them, pouting. Veronica settled her sister's plate onto the table before turning to stare at the boys as well.

" _¿_ _Sabes que?_ " Rachel asked.

" _¿Que, Vero_ _?_ "

" _Los dos debían hacer nacidos de bajo del signo del Géminis._ " Leandro smiled at that, looking at his twin brother. Veronica and Marco had been born in June, so they were Gemini. Of course, the boys also should have been born under Gemini, the sign of twins, but they had been too little back then. Then he and his brother both would have been in the hospital, in the NICU where the loud machines had been forced into Leandro's throat and nose, needles in his head. No, Leandro didn't wish that on his brother. 

" _Por supuesto, Vero!_ " Marco called, smiling. He ruffled the twins' hair, giving a special smile to each boy. " _Los gemelos McClain-Acero!"_

Leandro's brother smiled, winking at Leandro in the way that meant that they would be playing so much today, their siblings would be too tired to stop them from looking for their constellations tonight.

Leandro hummed, winking back.

"Lance, Leandro! _Que estan planeando?_ " 

" _Nada, Luis_!" both twins answered, not letting their sister onto their plans for the night. They reached out to one another. Lance kept his arm around Leandro's waist, winking again. Leandro smiled, hugging his older brother close. Lance was brave, wonderful, and he was Leandro's home.

 

 


End file.
